In the April edition of the Walrus,
the new Editor-in- Chie, Jonathan Kay, wrote a two page piece on how Canadians
no longer compare our relationship, progress or policies with our neighbour to
the south. He suggests that in the past "our relationship with the United
States was the great neurotic obsession of our intellectual life"(Kay). Kay sees it as a
positive thing that every conversation about social policy, health care or
international relationships is not predicated on whether or not those policies
or relationships are better or worse that the USA's or whether or not they will
either offend them or put us at a disadvantage. He further argues that when
there are discussions about social policy, health care or international
relationships, Canadians can now intelligently discuss the positives and
negatives of those policies on their merits as opposed to being in "awe of
the moneyed colossus" (Kay).
Part of me wishes that were true. Especially that bit about having intelligent
debates.
Kay, by his own admission, has written and debated from
within the right side of the political spectrum for most of his professional
life. In fact when I read that he had been appointed to his new position I was
somewhat concerned as the Walrus has in the past provided a forum in which public
critical thinking can occur. I am unconvinced that someone who has made their
living articulating and defending the views of the right can fulfill this role.
When I read his inaugural editorial my worst fears were realized. For many
Canadians of my generation examining and defending the differences between us
and those who lived south of the border were more than a neurotic intellectual
exercise. They were a loud protestation that we were different and that we
needed to consciously work on maintaining those differences. The Canadians that
I knew, and those that I continue to meet along the way, whenever we meet those
from the USA - we brag about those social policies etc. We were proud of those
differences. The best example of that was during the summer of 2003. Canadians
are not known for rabid flag waving but I saw more Canadian flags in all parts
of Canada including Alberta the summer that the government said that they were
not prepared to support the Americans in their war in Iraq. It was sound policy
and it didn't matter (in spite of all the rhetoric from the right) if we
offended anyone. We were proud to be
different.
I fear that, unlike Kay who believes that we don't think
about or compare ourselves to the USA because we know we are a strong competent
country, I think that we don't enter into those conversations anymore because
we know we are know that we (sadly) are not that different from them. Every
year there is less differences. Every year we give up just a little bit of that
special identity. Every year in the pursuit of international trade agreements,
global markets and finding the lowest
common denominator to make money we become more like them.
Later in the same issue of the Walrus, I was delighted to
read a long article on the influence Americans who have migrated to Canada have
had on Vancouver. It was a consistent theme expressed by many of the individuals
quoted that they came to Canada because it was a place where things were
possible. A place where there can be a public debate of doing what is right as
opposed to doing what had always been done or doing right because it is the best
economically. A number of those interviewed expressed disappointment that the
very things that drew them to Canada such as our social policies are being
eradicated. As a group, these immigrants appear to be concerned about the "American
shadows falling over Canada" (Ross).
Rather than being pleased with ourselves for being their
equals - maybe we should be concerned too.
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